The Department of Ecology at the College of Science at the University of Basra organized a workshop on water pollution by microplastics and its health effects.

The workshop aimed to familiarize attendees with plastics, their sources, and the transformations they undergo to become tiny particles invisible to the naked eye. It also aimed to introduce attendees to the environmental and health risks of these particles if they reach the physical environment, travel through the food chain, and reach humans.

The workshop, presented by Dr. Makiya Mahlahal Khalaf, a lecturer in the Department of Environmental Science, covered the most important physical, chemical, and biological processes that break down plastic and transform it into tiny particles invisible to the naked eye.

The workshop recommended replacing plastics with environmentally friendly, easily degradable materials that are free of health risks, such as paper bags.